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JAINISM AND DEMOCRACY
traditions. The latter holds that Scriptures are not the very words of enlightened souls but convey their spirit only. Their authorship goes to the chief disciples who have heard from them.
Tradition:
Mahāvīra is known as the founder of the present order of Jainism. As a matter of fact he did not found any new institution but reformed and rearranged the older one, which he himself inherited. According to the Jain tradition Risabhadeva was the first to found this tradition. He is accepted as God incarnate in Vedic tradition as well. He was born in a hoary past and both the traditions attribute fabulous antiquity to his date. After Risabhadeva there were twenty three more Tīrthankaras. The twenty third was Pārsvanath, whose historically has got a general acceptance. He was born in Banaras 250 years before Mahāvira.
Regarding the tradition of scriptures it is held that the tradition of Risabhadeva continued up to the eighth Tīrthankara. Then, there was a break. Again the tradition continued during the last eighth Tīrthankaras. If this account is accepted the present canon goes back to Kunthunatha, the 17th Tirthankara. But, nothing can be said about his date too. So, we have to satisfy ourselves with Pārśvanātha only though it can be said on definite grounds that the tradition is older.
Purvas :
In the time of Pārśvanāth and earlier Tirthankaras Jain canon was divided into Purvas as the name itself suggests. This literature existed for a time side by side
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